EU seeks trade cooperation with Nigeria

A delegation of European Union (EU) to Nigeria on Tuesday appealed to the federal government to sign the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) to enhance the export of Nigerian products to Europe.

Ugo Sokari-George, the delegation’s public affairs officer, made the appeal while speaking with NAN at the ongoing Lagos International Trade Fair at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos.

Sokari-George said that signing the agreement would be of immense benefit to the Nigerian economy.

EPA, a free trade agreement between countries in the EU and other developing economies in Africa and Asia, aims to foster mutually beneficial trade cooperation among the member countries.

According to Sokari-George, developing countries that signed the EPA are enjoying various trade preferences on exports, as offered by the EU.

“Signing the EPA implies that trade restrictions will be relaxed to accommodate export goods from Nigeria,” she said.

“As a result, the increased exports will ensure the growth of the real sector, resulting in economic growth.”

However, Sokari-George noted that Nigerian entrepreneurs needed to upgrade the quality of their products to meet international standards, saying:

“We can only explore the openness of the EU market to develop export opportunities for standard and quality products.

“The EU is available at the trade fair to guide entrepreneurs interested in exporting their products to Europe. We are here to advise you on how to meet the necessary requirements and documentations that will facilitate exports to Europe.”

The fair, which started on November 7, will end on November 16.